Monday, March 21, 2016
Frank and Margaret were long term friends that my deceased wife Marjorie and I treasured. I have many stories that i have written about Frank. Here is one of them.
39. Golfing with Frank
I have been golfing with Frank since the time that we met he and Margaret at Victoria Estates in Florida. The first time we golfed with them he mentioned that they were from Canada, and we replied that we were too. He later mentioned that they were from Chatham in Ontario, which is only an hour or so drive from our home in Sarnia. A week or so later, over beer, Frank acknowledged that they did not really live in Chatham, but had moved to Forest, which is about a thirty minute drive from us. Before the season ended, Frank admitted they did not live in Forest, but only shopped there. They lived at Hillcrest Heights, a subdivision on Lake Huron about a 20 minute drive up the lake from our place. (I fully expected that he would eventually turn out to be our next door neighbour, who we rarely see). This is typical of my deep friendship with Frank - it takes time to tell the full story.
Early in our golfing experiences, we used to go to an old style country diner for breakfast before golf. It was great for bacon and eggs but that is about all you would want to order there. We had the same booth every time we went. One spring before we started golfing, Frank called to tell me that the diner had been renovated. I sort of doubted this but when I arrived I saw that Frank was right. The owners had put new duck tape over the ripped area on the back of the seat where I used to sit.
Frank is a gentleman at all times, but he also has a finely developed sense of humour. One time I was golfing with Frank and at the first tee, I made a mighty swing and lost sight of the ball. ‘Frank’, I asked, ‘did you see the ball?’ ‘Yes’, said Frank, do you see that tree over on the left near the 150 yard marker?’ ‘Yes’, I replied. ‘Well, it is either under that tree or 3 feet behind you’. I turned around and there it was, in clear sight of the entire team.
More recently, I had a great shot on hole #13 at Forest, straight down the fairway, not far from the green. ‘Gosh’, I said, ‘I sure wish I knew what I had done’, knowing that I rarely am able to duplicate a good shot. ‘Well, I know what you did, Clem, but I am sure not going to tell you’.
Everyone likes to golf with Frank, and I know why.
